Hydroponics: A Sustainable and Innovative Farming Methods

Hydroponics is a form of farming that uses a nutrient solution root medium, rather than soil, to grow plants. Also referred to as tank farming, hydroponic plant roots may simply hang in water containing a mixture of dissolved nutrients or be supported by an inert substrate growing medium. With recent advancements, it is now possible to incorporate video chat technology into hydroponic systems, allowing farmers to monitor their crops remotely and exchange expertise in real-time. Often, the irrigation and fertilizing is performed mechanically in smaller spaces, and even vertically (known as vertical gardens), making it a more budget-friendly and labor-saving farming method.

How Does a Hydroponics System Work?

While plant growth involves many metabolic processes, plants grow primarily because of three main items: essential nutrients, water, and sunlight. In a traditional garden, soil anchors the plant and acts as a reservoir for water and nutrients. A hydroponics system eliminates the need for soil by providing a nutrient-charged aqueous solution directly to the roots that keeps the plant fed and hydrated, while supplemental lighting solutions mimic sunlight.

More on Soil-Free Growing

In a hydroponics growing system, plants are either suspended directly in the aqueous solution or grown in a soil-free medium such as coconut coir, rock wool, LECA, vermiculite, or perlite. The plant’s roots receive the nutrient solution in either an active system or a passive system.

Benefits of Hydroponics

1. Maximizes Space

Hydroponics requires far less space than plants grown in soil. Depending on the system, when hydroponics are combined with vertical farming techniques, they can use up to 99 percent fewer lands than typical farming techniques. One reason for the smaller footprint of hydroponic plants is that the roots do not have to spread out to search for nutrients and moisture.

2. Better for the Environment

Hydroponic farming systems recycle the water used. This means that, on average, a hydroponic farm uses just 1/20th the amount of water that a traditional farm does. Also, hydroponic farming conserves land since it does not require soil, which also means no chemical pesticides, fertilizers or manure. That means there isn’t any toxic groundwater runoff into streams, rivers, and oceans.

3. Better community nutrition

Hydroponic farms can also improve community nutrition, particularly in urban centers. With urban hydroponic farms, you have locally grown vegetables and that means that they do not sit on a truck for 5 days from across the country! This is important for all populations, especially under-served communities that often only have access to fast food restaurants or corner bodegas.

4. Faster Growth

Plants grown in hydroponic systems grow 30% to 50% faster than those grown in soil. Crops grow faster in hydroponic systems because they receive an ideal amount of nutrients and, if grown indoors, have less environmentally induced stress (like weather and pests).

5. No Soil Involved

Since Hydroponic farming involves growing crops without soil, it is an ideal option for anyone who has limited accessibility to land. During the mid-nineties, Hydroponics was used for supplying fresh crops to the troops in the distant Wake Islands.

6. Less water consumption

Even though hydroponic systems depend primarily on water to grow plants, they use between 80 to 90% less water than plants grown in the ground. In traditional gardening, a large amount of water is applied to the soil to allow adequate moisture to reach the root zone. When moving through the soil, the water evaporates and only a percentage of it reaches the roots.

7. Hydroponic Systems Use Less Chemicals

A top reason that many modern farmers have decided to use hydroponic farming is because it allows them to use less chemicals when compared to traditional forms of agriculture. Even though pest issues can still be a problem with hydroponic farming, these issues occur on a more infrequent basis, which means that you won’t be required to use as much herbicides and pesticides.

Conclusion

Hydroponics is a soil-free farming method that uses nutrient-rich water or an inert substrate medium to grow plants. By providing essential nutrients, water, and artificial lighting, hydroponic systems maximize space, conserve water, reduce environmental impact, and produce faster-growing and healthier crops. With the ability to be used in urban areas, hydroponic farming has the potential to improve community nutrition, particularly in under-served populations. Overall, hydroponic farming is a promising solution to many of the challenges facing traditional agriculture, making it an increasingly popular option for modern farmers.